Help me make this decision

[arabella2]

Hi
I am 37 weeks pregnant tomorrow and booked in at Queen Charlotte's in London. I am hoping to use their birth centre (6 rooms, one with a pool, there is also a pool on the labour ward but I don't know if all the midwives there know how to use it or if they need a midwife from the birth centre to be there). However I have heard from 2 different people that the birth centre can sometimes be full and in which case you get sent to the labour ward. Here you would still have a natural birth if there were no complications I suppose, but I suppose also that you might be more likely to come across a midwife who was more "antiquated" than in the birth centre. (At my check up yesterday when I told the midwife that I was worried about the site of my episiotomy not stretching this time, she said "don't worry, if it doesn't stretch we will give you another one"!!!! aaargh - she then went on to say that they do try to avoid them at all costs and to make my wishes (ie. NOT to have one) known to the midwife).
I have considered a doula (which would reassure me if I was transferred to the labour ward at Queen Charlotte's) but I don't think this is going to be possible at this late stage, so I am now wondering if I should change the birth "location" to the Edgware Birth Centre. This is completely stand alone, also has 6 rooms but they ALL have pools. Also I suppose all the midwives are "gunning in the same direction" or have the same ideals as far as birth is concerned.
The only thing that worries me about this is that it is in fact stand alone - I would feel terribly guilty if the baby needed any kind of emergency attention afterwards and had to be transferred by ambulance possible risking his life... (bit of a dire scenario but still). With ds1 I had meconium in the water and even for this they transfer you to a hospital which means a trip by ambulance before giving birth - not very nice either. Stll, meconium once doesn't mean it is going to happen again necessarily.
Anyway, any thoughts appreciated.
Thank you.

sorry cant be of much help, just want to say i wish you well, hopefully you will get a doula, maybe pupuce whos a doula will know of someone who can help

I can understand your worry about the Birth Centre at QC's being full but I can only tell you that I had a lovely (well as lovely as it can be!) experience at QCs. I started off in the birth centre (but I didn't want to use a birthing pool) and it was nice to be able to roll around on the bean bags and try all the different chairs etc. However, I gave in at the last minute to the pain and was transferred to the labour ward, which turned out to be lucky as I also got severe internal tears. I know my experience is limited but the rooms were pretty cheery considering it is a hospital (I have a slight hosiptal phobia) and me and dh watched tv whilst in I was in the last froes of labour (cup final was on!). And, if you're lucky and in the right room, apparently the prisoners in Wormwood Scrubs will you give you an encouraging wave! The midwives I had were also wonderful (but I know it can be pot luck).

Just wanted to let you know that for me it was a good experience (and am hoping will be the same this summer), and maybe feeling that you have all bases covered would ensure that your experience is also a good one, especially if you have a trusted 'loved' one or professional in with you.

But follow your heart as I'm sure both centres have had experience of things not going to according to plan so I'm sure you will be in good hands whatever you decide.

Arabella - I went with Pie (as her doula) to QC's labour ward and once Pie set the tone... i.e "No, you can not break my waters".... they left her alone and she had a very good water birth - completely hands off and no drugs - her wishes. She was suppose to go to the birth centre but they really didn't want to look after her - she was in a wheel chair because of severe SPD.

Loads of doulas go both to QC and EBC.... both are good. A colleague doula had 2 or 3 of hers at EBC and loved it... what happened to the doula you met ?

Fee free to e-mail me to discuss if you would like.

BTW - I had an episiotomy 1st time and did not tear 2nd time....

arabella - I know how you feel. I also wanted an active birth, but had no choice other than the local labour ward. I did persuade a friend to be my "advocate" though - basically she was just going to do the arguing with the midwives as I knew I would not be feeling very assertive. I think this would have worked.

In the event the labour was so quick she didn't get to hospital in time. They asked if I would like to stand or lie on the bed, and then quickly whipped out the stirrups while I was deciding. the buggers.

But can you find out how likely it is that birth centre will be full? and if you can't find a doula, how about someone else?

Hi Arabella. The Edgeware Birth Centre is reasonably near a hospital isn't it? So I wouldn't discount it for that reason. What do they say about transfer times and emergencies?
Just a thought, but have you considered home? (maybe you have and it's not for you, if so, ignore me). It sounds good to me that QC avoid episiotimies if possible and that the midwife encouraged you to make your wishes known. I appreciate that the other bit wasn't a particularly helpful comment though! Pupuce's comments are immensely reassuring about QC I think. I'm sure you could get a doula even this late and as long as you met her a few times before you gave birth she would be able to help. The ones I've met have been lovely. Is your main worry not getting a pool? If so, sounds like you should go for Edgeware. If it's getting an older style midwife then either choose Edgeware or get a doula to go to QC with you. Anyway, good luck with making a decision.

WWW - doulas in London are like gold dust..... I wouldn't be surprised if she couldn't find one as we are constantly asking out of the M25 doulas to work in London - we have much more demand than we can answer...
However I have many contacts so sometimes I can sort it out...

Oh, OK Pupuce, I bow to your superior judgement on the matter

arabella2, I had my dd at the birth centre at queen charlotte's, delivered as a VBAC by the head midwife. It was a wonderful experience (having had a really really awful one at st. mary's with my first). And I did have a major haemmorage just after birth when my uterus didn't contract so they whisked me up to the theatre on the floor above to sort it out. I'm not sure I would have lived through the time it would have taken to ambulance me to another hospital (I lost major amounts of blood). The birth centre was virturally empty when I was there. In fact after spending the night upstairs because of the haemmorage, they actually moved me back downstairs to spend the next two days in the birth centre. I had my own room and the midwives were wonderful. Why don't you call the birthcentre and ask to speak to the head midwife ( I forget her name...my brain is such a fuzz after two babies) and tell her your worries. She was so wonderful and reassuring to me, I'm sure she will be able to give you an honest opinion on the likelyhood of the whether they expect lots of people in the birth centre over the next few weeks. You can mention my name too...as she will probably remember me.

Thank you for your thoughts everyone. The kind of emergency you describe Sofia is exactly what I am worried about. The kind of thing which doesn't happen if you plan for it but does if you don't if you see what I mean.
I will definitely email you this time Pupuce. I really don't know about the doula thing as the one I met I have a few reservations about and apart from the fact that a lot of people will be "booked up", there hardly seems to be the time to develop an appropriate relationship with anyone.
Anyway, will let you know what I decide (should anyone wish to know!).
Thanks again.
I think all this panicking I am doing is just my way of getting ready for the birth maybe...

I've just remembered the name of the head mid-wife...it's debbi gould. Please call her. She's really lovely and could probably at least put your mind at rest.

I wooried a lot the 2nd time around about being on a hospital ward again instead of where I wanted to be - in my case at home as was so put off by nasty hospital ward and horrible mw who I had never met befopre and was obviously tired and unsympathetic. However, when my plans went haywire and ended up in hospital at the last minute, I just didn?t give two hoots about the wallpaper, pool facilities or whether I knew any facts about the midwife at all. All I wanted was my baby out and for both of us to be ok. I was far too busy to look at the bean bags or assess the pastel borders!!
We all know that there are many excellent mws out there who are fully trained, up to date and friendly souls. However, I reckon you could be in the poshest, most relaxed hospital and get a well trained friendly mw - and she might be having a bad day anyway - or you might just not take to her. It is a lottery unfortunately and IMO just not worth worrying about. Clearly a lot of people here have good things to say about the hospital of your choice so I reckon you should relax and just not worry too much. Don?t want to put a downer on it, just trying to be practical. I bet you will be fine where ever you are. As for hospital transfers - I had a nightmarish 40 mins one at 10 cms and pushing (baby stuck) it was horrible. However, we survived, it was the right thing to do (albeit painful) and the mws. and ambulance team made a good call. Despite things not going to plan, at the end of the day I got what I wanted - a lovely little baby. Time for pampering and nice surroundings on our next holiday

sorry - I have just re read my post and it sounds really insensitive. Don?t mean it to be. I just wish I had not wasted so much time worrying about things that aren?t set in stone anyway. Good Luck